


Delicate

by Emmybazy



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Fusion, Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Fluff, Miscommunication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25852117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmybazy/pseuds/Emmybazy
Summary: Catra and Adora were inseparable until a sleepover the summer before their freshman year of high school. Catra, outed to her best friend and crush, hid from Adora before leaving town with Shadow Weaver, her adopted mother, for a year long trip. When Catra is back in town, she and Adora give each other space. At the start of their senior year, Bow approaches Catra and asks her to date Adora.Aka, a 10 Things I Hate About You AU with just a pinch of Mean Girls thrown in there to add some drama.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 133





	Delicate

**Author's Note:**

> Hello-   
> First work in this fandom so please let me know if there is any fandom-specific tagging I should be aware of. I, like many, binged all of She-Ra in a few days last month and immediately needed to write some fluffy Catradora.
> 
> I'll be honest- everyone is a little OOC in this but 1) I wanted everyone to suffer minimal emotional pain and 2) I made allowances for equivalent behavior in the real world sans said emotional pain. Also, Shadow Weaver in this is just misunderstood and lonely so if that's not your jam, stay clear. 
> 
> Thanks for reading/hope you enjoy!

“So here’s the thing,” the sophomore with the crop tops slides into the chair across from Catra, “I have a proposition for you.” A flower child in boho-chic slides into the seat next to him, arms crossed like she’s not afraid of Catra. Catra smirks. 

“Why, hello to you too,” Catra sits forward and rests her weight on her elbows, “What, do you want my jacket so your belly button doesn’t freeze?”

“Oh right, sorry,” the kid winces, “I planned what I was going to say and forgot a greeting. Hello!” He does a half salute. His friend, who probably drinks out of mason jars, shoves him with her elbow, “Right, my proposal.”

“Not looking to get married right now but thanks for the offer.” Catra's eyes dart between the two children. 

“No,” The kid drops his head back and regroups. “Ok, so, I’m in love with my best friend,” Catra rolls her eyes, “but her mom- who is super great and I worship the ground she walks on- she’s pretty strict when it comes to relationships. And she won’t let my best friend date until her older sister dates.” 

“And I care why?”

Flower child buts in, “He wants you to date her sister.”

Catra laughs out loud, “What?”

“I can pay you!” back to Midriff, “Er, or if there’s anything else you want? I’m good with tech, I fix people’s phones and laptops sometimes.” 

Catra clenches her jaw. Her laptop could actually use a tune up and she’s not one to scoff at money. All she has to do is take some girl on a date? How bad can it be?

She tilts her head, “Alright, I’m listening. Who’s the girl?”

“Adora Moon.” 

Catra’s stomach drops, “Not happening.”

“Wait, hear me out,” he holds his hands out, placating, “I’ve known Adora for years, I’d tell you everything you need to know and I’d only need you to do it for a few weeks, just enough time to get Glimmer to love me and then convince Angella that I am worthy of her daughter. It’d be three dates max and I’d pay for everything.”

Catra tries not to collapse in on herself but her arms have crossed over her chest, protecting her heart, of their own volition. She raises her chin, “Why are you asking me anyways? Ask Kyle or Rogelio or something.”

The two make eye contact. After a brief nod from Boho-Chic, the whizkid says, “That wouldn’t really work since they’re, you know...guys.”

“So Adora’s not,” Catra stutters, “She’s not into guys?”

He shakes his head, “Not really. I guess technically she’s bi but she’s turned down every guy who’s asked her out.”

Catra mulls over this new information while belly button and flower girl start to fidget. They’re nervous, doubt starting to settle as they re-think the validity of their plan. 

Could she do it? Could she work up the courage to ask Adora out- even if just for a joke? If it blows up in Catra’s face, she can blame this guy and she’s no worse for wear. And maybe- for once- it wouldn’t blow up and she can spend time with Adora again. It’s not like she can cause further damage to her and Adora’s relationship, they haven’t spoken at all this school year.

“How long have you been friends with Glimmer?” Just saying the name brings back memories to Catra- sitting next to Glimmer at the Moon Family’s kitchen table, telling Glimmer to stop blowing bubbles in her face, watching Glimmer copy Adora’s orders whenever they went out for ice cream.

“Three years, ever since I moved here.” That explains why the kid doesn’t know about her. It only hurts for a moment, the realization that Adora and Glimmer haven’t told their new friend about her. 

“Alright,” she smirks, “I’m interested. My terms are that you take a look at my shitty laptop and do whatever it takes to get it in shape to last me the next four years before I do anything. After that, I’ll do what I can with Adora and it’s $50 a date until you’re able to get Sparkles to be your girlfriend.”

The kid nods as she speaks and sticks his hand out as she finishes her sentence, “Deal! Thank you so much Catra!”

“Sure thing Kid.”

“It’s Bow.”

“Bow?”

He nods and takes a post-it note and pen out of his pocket, “Here’s my number. Text me and we can find a time to meet up and talk strategy.”

“Will do, Crop Top.” Bow and his friend stand up, giving each other a high five before scurrying across the lunch room to the brightly lit tables next to the windows. The table they join is packed, Adora lording over it from the center, surrounded with her royal court of friends and admirers.

Catra taps her nails against the table in a syncopated rhythm. She breathes, trying to rationalize what she just agreed to.

*****

“But I thought you hated Adora?” Scorpia says when she drives Catra home after school. 

“I do. That’s why I’m doing this.”

“See, now that’s the part I don’t really understand. Normally, when you don’t like someone, you want to spend as much time away from them as possible but you are going to be trying to spend more time with Adora. The dots aren’t connecting.”

Scorpia is a good friend. When Catra came back to school after spending her freshmen year in Iceland with her mom on a research project, she thought she’d be completely alone without Adora. She’d never really made friends, she and Adora were forced together when they were four years old and the Moons adopted Adora right around the time Glimmer learned to walk. Catra didn’t really need to make friends with Scorpia either, Scorpia sat next to her in Bio sophomore year because it was the only empty chair and after a few days, Scorpia was sitting with Catra at lunch too. 

“Ok, one, she might not even buy it in which case I get a whiz kid to look at my laptop. Two, if she does, I know exactly what to say to get under her skin. I can make her think that I actually give a shit and then break her heart when Bow is done wooing Glimmer.”

“How would you- oh yeah! You two used to be best friends, right!” Scorpia gives a chuckle while Catra sinks in the passenger seat, “I always forget because you’re so different and never even acknowledge each other at school. It’s not even like you’re fighting, like that fight Entrapta and Mermista got in last year, it’s like you don’t even see each other.”

It’s not true. Atleast, it’s not true for Catra. She sees Adora everywhere- laughing with her friends, leading the champion basketball and softball teams, being the center of attention in every single room she enters and stepping up to the standards flawlessly. It drives Catra mad- Adora is this bright shining beacon in the school where Catra feels like she shriveled up. Maybe Adora was the only good thing about her. 

“Yeah, whatever. I don’t see a downside, besides having to spend time with Adora of course, so I’m going to do it.”

“Ok, you’ve got really great judgement Catra so if you think it’s a good idea, it’s probably a great idea.” Scorpia bops along with the music as they drive towards Catra’s house. 

*****

“Wow,” Bow is clicking away at Catra’s laptop. He’d welcomed her into his house, decked out with antiques on every surface, with little fanfare and dragged her up to his room, “you really did need a tune up. You know how many viruses were on this thing?”

“Don’t tell me,” Catra mumbles from her spot on a beanbag chair, the only other place to sit besides Bow’s bed, “just fix it.”

“There’s nothing really broken,” he continues as he types, “but you haven’t been keeping your software up to date and that’s led to some bugs and slow loading times, sounds right?”

She grimaces, “Yes.” 

Catra doesn’t need help. She’s always been fine alone, something her mom instilled in her. Growing up, Shadow Weaver was aloof on her best days, out right distant on her worst. Her adoptive mother taught Catra the skills to be as self-reliant as herself. What Catra didn’t learn directly from Shadow Weaver, she learned in the aftermath of Micah’s death and watching her mother lose her closest friend and mentee. 

“Ok, this has to reboot,” Bow shuts the laptop and swivels his chair closer to Catra, “and we can talk about plan ‘two birds, one stone.”

“Why are we calling it that?” Catra snarks.

“Uh- no reason,” Bow laughs nervously, “So, let’s figure out how you’re going to approach Adora.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Catra feels some of the power returning to her side. Bow needed her- she was the one with the valuable skill set, “I already know what I’m going to do.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, she’s going to the Crimson Waste concert on Thursday night, right?”

“How did you know that?”

Catra’s eyes flick to the side, flashes of Adora dancing to the Crimson Wastes in her bedroom floating in front of her eyes, “Because Adora is the most predictable person who has ever existed.”

“Oooookay,” Bow laughs nervously again, “That’s a great idea though! Here, let me see if they have any tickets left for you.”

“Don’t bother. I already have a ticket.”

He looks up from his phone at her, “You do? Do you have a plan? What are you going to say?”

Catra stands, dodges around Bow’s chair to grab her laptop, “I’m going to say hello. Thanks Whizkid, I’ll see myself out.”

“Let me know how it goes!” Bow calls as she darts down the stairs. He’s only a few blocks away from her house, lives in the same neighborhood as she does, Adora and Glimmer too. She takes one more look around, eyes drinking in the family portraits on the walls, stains on the carpets, baseball gloves left toppled next to sneakers. Maybe he will be a good match for Glimmer. 

*****

The Crimson Wastes aren’t a huge band. Small pop punk band that’s from the next state over so they’re frequent performers at the local concert venue. There’s only room for about 500 people in the crowd but with the music, the alcohol, and the energy, it always feels like more. 

Catra goes whenever they’re in town- a dedication of years of listening to their albums on repeat. Her favorite has always been the lead singer, Double Trouble. Adora had always had posters of the drummer, Huntara, in her room growing up. They would fight about which band member was the best lyricist or had the coolest clothes, kid squabbles that intensified their love of the band. Catra always sees Adora at these concerts, smashing her body into the mass trying to get to the front. Catra hangs back near the bar, watching over the top of her glass. 

This time, Catra takes a strong position in the middle of the pack. Aware of the bodies hollering on either side of her as the opening act pumps up the crowd. She spots Adora, wearing a scarlet halter top and her hair down. Catra can’t help the curve of a smile that takes over her face. She slinks through the crowd, moving with the shaking hips and punching fists to make her way behind Adora. It’s the first time they’ve been this close in years and Catra notices that Adora is now taller than her by at least a few inches. When the openers retreat, Catra takes her chance. 

“Hey, Adora,” Catra cocks her hip and smirks in preparation of Adora’s startled about-face. 

“Catra!” her expressions doesn’t give anything away, “Hi.”

“Here alone?” Catra’s eyes trace the crowd around Adora, making sure there are no familiar faces in the crowd. 

“Uh, yeah,” Adora shrugs, “Couldn’t find anyone else to come with me.”

“I’m here.”

“Yeah, you are,” Adora scratches her neck, “didn’t think you liked being in the crowd though. Don’t you normally hang back?”

Catra blinks, surprised, “Thought I’d change my perspective this time. Needed a better view of DT.”

A grin flashes for a second, “You haven’t shaken your DT crush all these years?”

“Nope,” Catra’s shoulders start to drop, the tension and anxiety of anticipating talking to Adora again slowly seeping out, “I’m loyal.”

Catra’s carefully chosen words seem to have the opposite of the desired affect. Instead of Adora relaxing, her guard comes back up, “Yeah, I, uh, I’m going to go get a drink.”

“Oh, ok,” Catra nods, “I’ll be here.”

“See ya,” Adora doesn’t meet her eyes as she whips through the crowds. 

Catra gives it three songs into the Crimson Waste’s set before she realizes Adora isn’t coming back. 

*****

Catra tucks her hand into her pocket to make sure the sheet of paper is still there. She’d dug it out of the box in her desk containing all the things that she wishes she could throw out: pictures of her and Adora, old concert ticket stubs, a few birthday cards from the Moon family. The last shred of her humanity won’t let her toss them. 

Catra hasn’t seen Adora yet today but that’s not unusual. She knows Adora has early dismissal on Fridays so she bides her time until the bell for early dismissal rings and then she slips out the front door. Adora’s car is easy to spot, Micah’s old Jeep, parked in the corner of the parking lot near the softball field. Catra saunters over, sees Adora has the doors off the jeep, and plops onto the back seat, her feet up on the mid console. Micah wouldn’t mind, he used to let them stand on the seats with the top down, driving down country highways. 

Catra’s almost fallen asleep when Adora marches up to the car, freezing when she sees Catra in the back, “Catra?”

Catra jams her hand in her pocket, pulling out the lavender stationary, folded neatly, and tosses it to Adora, “I’m cashing this in.”

Adora catches it, must recognize it because she doesn't unfold it, “You still have this?”

“What, did you think I was going to burn it?” Catra jeers. 

“Considering you never responded, the thought had crossed my mind.”

“I am full of surprises,” Catra pulls her legs off the console and sits up in the back seat, “You going to keep your promise?”

Adora looks down at the paper again before looking back at Catra, “Why do you want to be friends again all of a sudden?”

“You might want to re-read what you wrote. My memory is a little foggy but it definitely says something like ‘I will always want you in my life, no questions asked.’”

Adora cocks her head at that, “It doesn’t say that,” Adora says, scanning the note to make sure, “It says we don’t have to talk about what happened. Not that I can’t ask you why you want to be friends again after avoiding me for three years.”

Adora has advanced while she spoke. She’s got an arm on the top of the jeep, standing in front of Catra’s exit. Catra could scoot across the seat and get out that way but it’s not really her style. Adora’s eyes aren’t angry- not like the way she looks at the opposing team during games. They are hard though, they want an answer. 

“Fine,” Catra sighs, “it’s senior year.”

“Yeah Catra, I’m aware of our grade level.”

“We used to talk about senior year,” Catra’s voice has gotten smaller without her permission, “we had plans and- I don’t know, ok? I just saw you at the concert last night and thought ‘do I really want to graduate high school without ever talking to Adora again?’” Catra swallows. 

Adora grins, hands back the paper, “Okay.”

Catra’s shoulders deflate, “Really?”

Adora nods, “yeah, the letter does clearly state that I will always want to be friends with you. Got to stick to my word.” Adora is sheepish, crossing her arms over her chest and taking a step back. Catra can feel her own heart beat in her temples. 

“You doing anything right now?” Catra asks.

“I was going home. Why?”

“Want to do something?”

“What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know, something. Something we used to do.”

Adora laughs, “You want to play princesses? Or blow bubbles in my backyard?”

Catra snorts, swinging around from the backseat to the front seat of the jeep, “You’re so stupid. Let’s go somewhere. Somewhere not here.”

Adora hops into the jeep and starts the car, “You don’t have early dismissal, do you?”

“Nope!” Catra buckles her seat belt and then throws her hands in the air with a ‘woop.’ Adora laughs and guns it out of the parking lot. 

*****

“And Stan thought we’d be rusty,” Catra clips the lazer gun back to the front of the vest. Adora and she had made tidy work of the 6th graders in the lazer maze. 

“Like riding a bicycle,” Adora agrees, shelving her gear as well. 

“You want to do another round?”

“I want to but I should be getting home,” Adora steps close to Catra, “Mom’s cooking.”

Catra nods, her voice cracks a bit when she asks, “How is she?”

“I think she’s good,” Adora leads the way out of the lazer tag arena, “Guessing you heard she’s not running for Mayor again?”

“Yeah, my mom told me.”

“It’s been weird. She’s trying to figure out what to do next with her life but, I don’t know,” she takes a breath, “I don’t think she ever really got over Dad. I think she avoided dealing with it by throwing herself into the election. She’s spent all her energy the last four years on making the city a better place and being there for Glimmer and me. She never really healed and now, in a few months, someone else will be elected and she’ll have so much more time on her hands, she’ll have to work through it.”

“I’m sorry,” Catra bumps her shoulder to Adora’s, “My mom never really got over it either. I mean, obviously it’s different, but your Dad was one of the only people my mom’s ever actually liked. She’s the opposite though, thinks about it too much. She hasn’t had anyone from the university over since.” 

“Really?” Adora asks, “but everyone there loves your mom.”

“Used to,” Catra agrees, “she hasn’t been herself since your Dad died. She always said he was the future of their field. When he died, she lost her best friend and all the work they would have done together.”

“I think about that sometimes. If the world would be different. I know they were working on that new energy source project, did she ever finish it?”

Catra shakes her head, “she can’t even talk about it.”

They reach Adora’s car. Before hopping in, Adora turns to Catra, “Maybe I could come over sometime? I mean, I always liked your mom. Maybe having a familiar face around would cheer her up?”

Catra’s feet feel like cement as she tries to keep her balance, “Yeah, I’m sure she’d like that.”

Their eyes meet in a stalemate- it’s been three years since they’ve spoken yet it’s like nothing has changed. 

“Ok,” Adora nods, “and maybe you could come over to our house sometime? My mom still asks about you, you know.”

Catra’s ears perk, “Really?”

“Yeah, she still,” Adora coughs, rubs the back of her neck, “she still blames me for that night when you left.” She looks up at Catra, shy again, “I never told her what happened but she wouldn’t let any of the girls who were there that night come over again.”

Catra takes that opportunity to circle the jeep and hop in on the passenger side, “Knew she always liked me best.”

“Well yeah, because you weren’t her responsibility. It was cute when you snuck out of your house to come over but god forbid I sneak out to go to yours.” 

Catra laughs, “Oh my god, I remember that! She wouldn’t let you out of the house for a week!”

“Yep. Wasn’t much of a punishment though, she let you come over everyday. I had no other reason to leave the house.”

Adora turns on the car and the new Crimson Waste album starts to play. They had listened to the first few tracks on the ride over. Adora blasts it as they turn out of the parking lot; they sing into the wind as it wips around them on the ride home.

“I can walk home from your house!” Catra screams over the music and the wind.

“No worries, I’ll drop you!” Adora yells back, head bopping along with song as they lean into a curve. 

Catra watches they way the wind throws Adora’s hair around with the sun shining through it. It’s the golden hour and Adora is molten gold, her hair spinning as if she’s under water and her eyes, usually silver blue, reflect back the warmth of sunshine. She laughs and it melts against Catra’s skin, giving her an adrenaline rush she wasn’t prepared for. 

Too soon, they pull up in front of Catra’s house. Shadow Weaver’s car isn’t in the driveway yet so Adora pulls in. 

“Thanks for the ride,” Catra unclips and bounces out. 

“Of course. I had a lot of fun Catra,” Adora leans back in the driver seat, “we should hang out again soon.”

“Yeah,” Catra agrees, “I’d really like that.” Catra turns towards the door, heart light, when Adora calls out her name again. 

Adora turns off the engine, steps out of the car, “I know the letter said I wouldn’t ask, but can I ask you something?”

Catra pulls her arms in front of her chest, “Yeah, but I might not answer.”

Adora nods, purses her lips, “All those things they said, did you think I thought those things too?”

Catra digs her nails into her arms, “No, I- no. I knew you didn’t think that.”

“Then why,” Adora pauses. She steps further up the path to the house where Catra is, lowers her voice, “why didn’t you call me back, or write, or, I don’t know, swing by the house before you left?”

“I-”  _ I couldn’t face you  _ is on the tip of her tongue, “thought you wouldn’t want to see me.”

“Why would you think that?” Adora’s voice deepens, a husky undertone following up her words, “I came over here every day until you moved and then I called after. I-” Adora’s voice breaks, “I was still figuring out how to deal with losing my Dad and then I lost you too.”

“I’m-” Catra bows her head, can’t look at Adora in the eyes, “I know. I just didn’t think you’d want me around after they said all those things.” 

“But why?”

“Because I was scared,” Catra turns away, not fully, but enough so Adora can still see her face but can’t see how hard this is to confess, “we’d been friends for so long, and they just said- it. I didn’t know how you were going to react, and I didn’t want you to tell me I was gross or-or reject me. We were already leaving for Iceland in a few days, it seemed easier to just keep my distance and let you make new friends while I was gone.” 

“I didn’t want those friends,” Adora steps even closer, in Catra’s space, “They hurt my best friend. And I wouldn’t have rejected you.”

Catra’s breath catches. She turns her head, looks up at Adora, “You wouldn’t have?”

Adora shakes her head, “No. I mean, I don’t think I had it all figured out back then, what you having a crush on me meant, but I obviously figured it out.” She holds up her key chain which has a rainbow on it, “I’m not saying it would have been perfect right away but I definitely wouldn’t have called you gross.”

Catra swallows, “It seems dumb now. I remember being so scared and convinced that you’d hate me. I convinced myself that I could go away for a year, figure out how to be straight, and then come back and be your friend again. By the time I got back, it didn’t seem like you needed me anymore with all your new friends.”

“Of course I needed you,” Adora put a hand on Catra’s elbow, voice soft in Catra’s ear, “I still need you. All of my friends, they’re great, but they’re not you.” 

Catra trails her eyes over Adora, all her body language that of vulnerability and openness. Catra takes a deep breath before folding into the blank space between them, “I never did learn to be straight, in case you were wondering.”

Adora snorts, “You always did know what I was thinking.”

They kiss. It’s been a few months since Catra kissed someone but it feels like it’s the first time. Adora holds her face between her palms, Catra scrabbling to grab at Adora’s flannel over-shirt to pull her closer. It’s slow, careful, Adora exploring with soft suction on Catra’s lower lip and gentle sweeps of her tongue. It’s overwhelming and disarming. 

Adora’s cellphone rings from the car and they both sigh as they part.

Adora blushes, “it’s probably my mom.”

“You should probably get it then.”

“I probably should,” Adora grins.

Catra wraps her arms around Adora’s waist. She nuzzles her head under Adora’s chin, “You don’t have to get it. You should, but you don’t have to.”

They sway for a second there, waiting for the ringer to stop, before Adora whispers, “You’re not, like, going to forget this tomorrow, right? We’re still going to be- this- next time I see you?” Catra nods into Adora’s neck, “Can we go out tomorrow then?”

Catra pulls back, “You going to take me on a date?”

Adora nods, “we can go to the ice cream parlour?”

“I’d really like that,” Catra agrees.

“Pick you up around 2pm?” Adora says, extracting her limbs from Catra’s grip. 

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll see you then.”

“Perfect,” Adora darts in for a quick peck before jogging to her jeep, “unless of course my mom grounds me for being late.”

“Just tell her we made up, I’m sure she’ll forgive you.” Catra calls.

Adora gives Catra one more grin as she starts her car. She waves as she backs out of the driveway, still glowing in the late afternoon sun. Catra could purr. 

With a Crimson Waste song stuck in her head, she prances up to her door and unlocks it, stepping into the hallway and dropping her backpack on the stairwell. She fishes her phone out of the front pocket to call her mom and, to her surprise, sees seven unread texts. 

One is from just a moment ago, from Adora checking to see if she still has the same number. Two are from Scorpia, wondering why she’s not in French class. And four are from Bow:

_ Heyyyy _

_ Did you not come to school today?I’ve been looking everywhere _

_ How did the concert go? Did your plan work? _

_ **Please and THANK YOU _

Catra nearly drops the phone. She slides down the wall and sits at the bottom of the stairs. She’d completely forgotten- so focused on dating Adora that she forgot she was doing it for nefarious reasons. 

She picks up the phone and sends two texts.

To Bow:  _ Did not go according to plan. Will try something else. _

To Shadow Weaver: _ Can we please order pizza for dinner? It’s been a week _

She sits there another moment, forehead on her knees and contemplating how she somehow stumbled into a cluster fuck that is now the best thing that’s ever happened to her when her phone buzzes again, twice, in quick succession. 

From Bow: _ Ok! Keep me posted! I want to be able to ask Glimmer to Homecoming :) :) :) _

From Shadow Weaver:  _ Great minds think alike. Picking it up now. I’ll be home in 10 _

*****

Catra has no idea why she was so surprised to find out Adora likes girls. Adora shows up at 1:55pm for their date wearing birkenstocks, cuffed jeans, and a different colored flannel from the day before tied around her waist. 

Catra is still tying her shoes up in her room when she hears Adora pull up and hop out of the car. She quickly throws her phone and money into a purse and ties her combat boots but is still upstairs when the doorbell rings. She races down the hall to try and get to it before her mom but is no match for her mother’s ‘mom’ senses.

“Adora! How lovely to see you!” She hears Shadow Weaver coo as she jumps the stairs. 

“Hi Ms. Weaver. I’m here to pick up Catra.”

“Catra, you didn’t tell me that the friend you were going out with today was Adora,” Shadow Weaver glances at Catra but Catra sees in her eyes that her mom is going to grill her later.

“Surprise, it’s Adora.”

“I’m so glad you two are spending time together again. It was awful when you got into that fight before Iceland.”

“Yes, Mom, it was terrible but now everything is good and we’re going to get ice cream.” Catra says in one breath, getting between her mom and Adora.

“How lovely. Be back before dinner. Adora, you’re welcome to stay later if you would like.”

“Thanks Ms. Weaver,” she waves while Catra slowly closes the door on their conversation. Adora smirks as soon as the door is fully closed, “I’m her favorite.”

“Yes, yes, I know, you’re the best. Let’s go before she tries to tag along with us.” Catra tries to drag Adora by the wrist.

“Maybe we should invite her,” Adora is sturdy in her stance on the porch.

“Oh shut up,” Catra tugs once more, Adora finally complying and falling into Catra’s space, “you’re supposed to be taking me on a date, not my mom.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” Adora rolls her eyes and leads the way to the car, “let’s go.”

They buckle in and Adora takes the familiar streets towards their favorite ice cream parlor. On the drive there, Catra mentally prepares herself. She has a plan, she’s going to wait for the perfect moment where they’re having so much genuine fun that Adora could never think that her intentions are less than pure, and then she’s going to tell Adora what happened with Bow like it’s a funny story. They’ll laugh over how dumb it was but then be so happy it was the spark that got them talking again that it will ALL BE FINE. 

Catra rubs her palms on her jeans to get rid of the sweat. 

The parlour isn’t busy when they get there, with September almost at its end. They order a large hot fudge sundae with peanut butter cup ice cream and walnuts, like they used to when they were kids. Catra grabs two spoons and they settle in with their ice cream.

“You’re taking all the good bites,” Catra hisses, using her spoon to stop Adora from taking the last of the whip cream. 

“Not my fault you’re a slow ice cream eater.”

“You know, when people go on dates, they normally want to impress the person and be nice to them. Like leaving them the good bites of ice cream.”

Adora laughs, “I always thought you were supposed to be authentic on dates- your true self.”

“That’s why you’re still single then,” Catra makes the jab as she steals the whip cream from Adora’s spoon. 

Adora blushes, “I’ve never actually been on a date before.” 

Catra pauses with the spoon halfway to her mouth, “What? That can’t be true.”

Adora shrugs, taking another bite. 

“But- wait, didn’t Seahawk say you dated before he finally won over Mermista?”

“We studied together a few times after school but as soon as I heard he was telling people they were dates, I set him straight and stopped hanging out with him alone. I don’t count that since I didn’t want them to be dates.”

“But,” this is not computing for Catra, “but you’re Adora. You’re the smartest person in our grade, super popular, your mom’s the mayor and you’re gorgeous. How has no one asked you out before?”

Adora shrugs again, mumbles, “People have asked me out. I’ve just never wanted to go out with any of them.”

Catra puts down her spoon, “But you want to go out with me?”

“Yeah,” Adora nods, nabbing a huge peanut butter cup out of the ice cream. 

Catra’s heart and brain turn to jelly, “That’s good.”

“Glad we can agree on something.”

Catra’s trance breaks as she picks up her spoon, “Stop eating all the walnuts!”

*****

Adora does end up staying for dinner. Conversation is quiet, as it always is with Shadow Weaver, but they discuss Adora’s college plans, Angella’s possible next steps, and how Glimmer is liking high school. 

Shadow Weaver sits at the kitchen island as Adora and Catra put away leftovers and clean the dishes, “Thank you for cleaning girls.”

“Of course,” Adora says, “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious, I didn’t realize how much I missed your cooking.”

“I did try to make something I remember you liking,” Shadow Weaver hums over a glass of wine, “it’s so good to see you two together again. I do enjoy your other friends, Catra, but I’m sure you understand my bias.”

Catra flicks water at Shadow Weaver, “Don’t tell Scorpia. She’ll try to hug you until you like her more.”

Shadow Weaver mumbles, “We wouldn’t want that.” Catra snorts and Adora laughs, “Since you girls seem to have this under control, I will head upstairs. Adora, pleasure to see you again. Don’t be a stranger. I trust you will get home in time for any curfew you may have and that you won’t let Catra distract you?”

“Thanks Ms. Weaver. I’ll be sure to be home in time.”

“Good night Catra.”

“Night Mom.” With that, they hear Shadow Weaver’s soft steps climb the stairwell. 

Adora starts scrubbing the last pot, “Was your mom always this funny and I never realized or is that a recent thing?”

“Little bit of both I think,” Catra loads the dishwasher, “she was definitely more engaged tonight then she has been in awhile.”

Adora nods, “I think sometimes people forget that needing other people is ok.”

Catra goes on autopilot, “Sure it’s ok, but not everyone needs other people. I don’t need anyone.”

Adora sticks her with a pointed look, “You don’t?”

Catra gives her a side eye back, “Wanting and needing are two different things.” Catra catches the brilliant pink flair on Adora’s cheeks, “Are you blushing?”

"You’re definitely not supposed to call out when the person you’re dating is blushing.”

Catra smirks, sliding into Adora’s bubble as she shuts the dishwasher, “but I like it. And you blushed even more when I said you did.”

The color deepens from splotchy pink to a solid magenta. Adora grumbles, “not fair.”

Catra wraps her arms around Adora from behind, chuckles into the hair at the base of her neck. She feels bright inside, marinating in the great day they had. Catra opens her mouth to tell Adora the truth when Adora tilts her head back and pulls Catra’s mouth against hers. 

*****

“What did you do this weekend?” Scorpia asks over lunch on Monday.

“Nothing,” Catra evades.

“Got it, I was just worried because you didn’t respond to any of my texts on Saturday. I was going to come check on you on Sunday if you hadn’t responded.”

“Sorry, I was- it was nothing,” Catra rips into a bag of Cheetos and is surprised to hear steps behind her, followed by someone dropping into the seat next to her. 

“Hey,” Adora says reaching into the bag of Cheetos and grabbing one before Catra can stop her.

“Hi,” Catra can’t help but grin at Adora.

“Mind if I sit with you?” Adora’s blushing again, scratching the back of her neck and not really meeting Catra’s eyes. 

“Go for it,” Catra bumps Adora’s shoulder, a little harder than she should but she’s never learned how to pull her punches and Adora’s never learned to call her out on it. 

“Hey! Adora!” Scorpia waves from across the table, “How are you? Were you the reason this one wasn’t looking at her phone on Saturday?”

Adora shrugs, “Maybe?”

Scorpia guffaws, “That’s great! I’m so happy you guys are friends again!” Scorpia gives them a big theatrical wink and Catra drops her face into her hands.

“Adora!” This time it’s Glimmer- striding across the room, “Why are you over here?”

“Hi to you too Glimmer,” Catra murmurs and Adora snorts.

“I wanted to sit with Catra today.”

Glimmer pouts at them for a few seconds before her entire face changes shape, “Oh my god are you guys dating?!”

Catra, for the first time in years, feels so unsure of her footing and rolls inward. Adora glances at Catra before responding, “We’re working on it.”

“Ah! I’m so happy for you!” Glimmer shrieks. 

Adora rolls her eyes, “You mean you’re happy for yourself.”

“I can be both,” Glimmer turns to head back to her table, “I’ve got to tell Bow.”

“What does that mean?” Scorpia asks Adora, “That she’s happy for herself.”

“It’s stupid,” Adora sighs, “You remember that weird student teacher last year, Mr. Hordack?” they nod, “We were at the mall with my mom in the spring and she saw Glimmer talking to Mr. Hordack. It was nothing but my mom freaked out about Glimmer flirting with someone in college. The two of them have never had a rational conversation so it spiraled into this huge argument that ended with my mom deciding Glimmer couldn’t date anyone until I started dating. I’m not sure how they got there, I zoned out for most of it, but Glimmer’s been trying to get me a date ever since.” She squeezes Catra’s hand, “I’m sure she’ll send you flowers or something.”

“Little weird if your sister sends me flowers before you do.” Catra lets go of Adora’s hand and smirks to hide the tickle of guilt at the back of her neck. 

“That sounded like a challenge.” Adora counters. Catra shrugs, nabs another Cheeto, and lets Scorpia and Adora settle into an easy conversation about their physics teacher. 

*****

“Here?” Catra asks as Adora parks. 

“We used to love meeting here,” Adora pouts. It’s cute. Catra swings out of the jeep to stop herself from caving to the pout. 

“Yeah, when we were nine,” it’s the park in the middle of their neighborhood, a large green space with a row of swings and a multi-level jungle gym. 

“Remember when we used to play princesses? And you’d let me save you?” Adora catches up with Catra. 

“Yeah, I only let you because I got to sit at the top away from everyone while I waited for you.”

“You didn’t like me rescuing you? Not even a little?” The pout is back. 

“What do you want me to say, that you being my princess in shining armor turned me gay?” Catra snickers and Adora laughs, bright and open. 

“Race you to the top of the slide!” Adora takes off, ever competitive, for the play structure. Catra shakes her head but follows suit, easily weaving through the levels of the structure to the very top slide, a little platform with a cone on top. It felt 10 stories tall when she was a kid but, it can’t be more than 16 feet off the ground. 

“I won,” Adora has stretched out, limbs touching all four corners of the platform. Catra settles in next to her, tight against her side, “You my prize?”

“No, but I’ll stop complaining. How’s that?”

“Perfect,” She leans her head against Catra’s. 

“Why’d you bring me here?” Catra asks.

“I don’t know,” Adora admits, “I guess I wanted to go to some place where we had really good memories. I also wanted to make new memories here. The last few I have aren’t great.”

Catra stiffens, “What are the last few?”

Adora tilts her head to look at Catra, “I came here after those times I tried to see you before you went to Iceland. After your mom would send me away, I’d come here and wait to see if you’d come.”

Catra swallows, “I’m sorry I didn’t.”

“It’s okay,” Adora reassures, “I mean, it wasn’t great but I didn’t tell you to make you feel bad. I do want you to know how much you matter to me, even back then.”

Catra runs her nails along the plastic flooring, pressing hard to make a groove, “How do you know I still am her?”

“Hm?”

“We’ve been hanging out for a week. How do you know I matter to you now? What if I’m not the same girl who you waited here for?”

Adora snorts, “It’s not like you went to a different planet. We have had classes together the last few years. Just because we don’t talk like we used to, doesn’t mean I don’t still know you.”

Catra opens her mouth and bites her tongue. It’s the perfect moment- Adora knows her. Catra can tell her and she’ll understand. 

Adora continues, “What about you? How do you know I’m still the same?”

“I didn’t,” Catra raps a pattern against the plastic, “not until I talked to you at the concert. When you walked away, I realized you still cared. If you hadn’t, it wouldn’t have bothered you so much.”

Adora slides her fingers into Catra’s, let’s them settle into a silence in the waning sunlight, “I’m excited to make new memories with you.”

Catra agrees by settling her head onto Adora’s shoulder. They sit there until the elementary school lets out and all the kids take control of the playground. 

*****

“-and then your father said ‘of course, you’d be right if we were dealing with negative integers.’” Shadow Weaver laughs at her own joke, Adora following suit, eating up stories of her father, “I’d never seen Brian so upset in my life.”

“Was my Dad really that smart?” Adora asks, “I remember him being smart but he always down played it with us.”

“He was brilliant Adora,” Shadow Weaver grins, remembering her past triumphs, “He always called me his mentor but he learned everything he could from me by the time he graduated- after that I learned from him.”

Adora nods, “It’s nice to hear stories about him.”

“It feels good to tell them,” Shadow Weaver grins, “I should leave you girls be, you don’t want to hang out with an old broad.”

“You just don’t want to help with dishes again,” Catra starts clearing the dishes from the table.

“If my altruism has a benefit, that’s purely an accident, dear,” Shadow Weaver stands to head upstairs, “Lovely to see you again Adora.”

“You too Ms. Weaver,” Adora picks up the last few dishes and follows Catra into the kitchen, “Do you want to come to mine for dinner tomorrow? Mom’s started leaving early on Fridays to make elaborate family meals.”

“Maybe,” Catra sets the dishes next to the sink and props a hip against the counter, “Have you told her that we’re dating?”

“Have you told your Mom?” Adora counters.

Catra snorts, “Please, I don’t have to tell her. She knew the second you came to pick me up for our date last week.”

“Still, it’s different than telling her.”

Catra cocks her head, “So you didn’t tell your mom?”

“Oh no, I did,” Adora smirks, “She wants you to come to dinner tomorrow night.”

Catra rolls her eyes but grins, “You’re an idiot.” 

“That wasn’t a yes.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll come. I reserve the right to be super awkward. The last time your mom saw me I had snot bubbles coming out of my nose.”

“You always were an ugly crier.” Adora teases. She pulls herself onto the counter while Catra starts the dishes, “No surprise, she is very excited to see you again. Everyone is actually really happy at our house right now. My Aunt said Mom can come work for her when she’s done with her term, I have you, and Glimmer has Bow.”

“That was fast.”

“You’re telling me. I had no idea they even liked each other. Glimmer saw us at lunch on Monday and that night Bow came to pick her up for a date.”

“You think they’re a good match?”

“I didn’t on Monday but now that I’ve had a chance to think about it, I get it. I mean, be pretty hypocritical for me to judge them for liking their best friend.”

Catra wrinkles her nose at Adora for the sentimentality. Catra’s phone buzzes once from the dining room and then three more times in quick succession, “Do you mind grabbing that for me? It’s probably Scorpia and I don’t need her giving me the 3rd degree about responding to her texts again. 

“Sure,” Adora hops down while Catra scrubs the last few dishes. Catra listens to Adora’s steps bounce into the dining room, hears Adora grab the phone off the table, then hears the steps stop. 

“Adora?” Catra calls. Instead of a response, Catra hears Adora march to the front door, grab her backpack, and slam the door shut behind her.

Catra grabs a dishtowel and dries off her hands as she runs to the front door and opens it in time to see Adora drive off, “What the fuck?”

Catra throws the rag over her shoulder and picks up her phone- she nearly collapses when she sees the texts displayed on the screen.

_ Hey! Sorry, ive been busy dating Glimmer :) :) :) _

_ THANK YOU i cant believe it actually worked! How did you get Adora to date you??? _

_ Anyways, let me know what I owe you! _

_ And you can stop whenever...unless you don’t want to ;) _

Catra leans her head against the doorframe between the dining room and the entry hall and breathes. Deep breaths quickly evolve into kicking the wall. 

“Catra! What are you doing?” Shadow Weaver floats down the stairs, grabs Catra’s shoulders, and turns her to face Shadow Weaver.

“I hope you got to reminisce with Adora enough because she’s never coming back here again.” Catra pulls out of Shadow Weaver’s hold, crosses her arms over her chest.

“Did you two have a fight?”

“No, I just fucked it up.”

“Catra, what happened?”

Catra thinks about holding it in, letting this be another thing that gnaws at her insides for years, but her vulnerability overpowers her restraint and she tells her mom the whole story,” -which I know was so so stupid.”

Shadow Weaver sets her hand on top of Catra’s head, “It was stupid. But not unforgivable.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because you made some terrible mistakes all in the hopes of talking to her again. If you tell her the truth, she’ll understand that.”

“What if she doesn’t?”

Shadow Waver brushes a few strands of hair and a tear of Catra’s cheeks, “Then you don’t have any regrets about it.”

Catra swallows and turns her back on Shadow Weaver but Shadow Weaver stops her. 

“Catra- I know sorry isn’t an easy word for you. I know I’m the one responsible for that. But sometimes, people are more important than your pride.”

Catra sighs, wipes the other side of her face, and bends to put on her shoes. 

Shadow Weaver grins, “Curfew is still 11pm.”

Catra pauses with her hand on the doorknob, “Get the ice cream ready for when I get back.”

“I bought a pack of chocolate bars in preparation for something like this.” Shadow Weaver shoos her out the door and into the night air. 

*****

Catra waits outside the Moon’s house, collecting her thoughts, for ten minutes before she can knock. She’s preparing for Angella and is taken aback to see Glimmer open the door. 

“She doesn’t want to talk to you.” Glimmer, now the same height as Catra, wears the pout she used to use whenever Catra and Adora wouldn’t let her play with them. 

“Please, I can explain everything.”

“Sure you can, but you still hurt her.”

“If she never wants to talk to me again after, that’s fine, but I need to tell her what happened.”

“Tell me and maybe I’ll let you in.” Glimmer stands strong in the doorway. 

Catra sighs, arms around her middle, “I can’t tell you.”

Glimmer’s face becomes nervous for a split second before turning hard again, “Why not?”

“It’s, ugh, it’s nothing. To you, it’s nothing, but for Adora she needs to know- she needs to know why I started talking to her. That it was because of her.”

Glimmer shifts again, “Do you really care about her?”

Catra rears up on to her haunches, “What the fuck Glimmer?! Of course I fucking care. Adora is my favorite person in the world. I can’t-” Catra swallows, “Why would you say that?”

Glimmer shrugs, “When you came back from Iceland, you never came back here. We weren’t important to you anymore.”

Catra shakes her head, “No, of course you’re important. I wanted to-” Catra sighs, “I thought Adora didn’t want to see me so I stayed away. It seemed easier.”

Glimmer nods, looks at the bush next to their front door instead of at Catra, “You should go home, let her blow off some steam. I’ll talk to her though.”

Catra frowns, “Thanks Glimmer.”

Glimmer offers Catra a sad smile and shuts the door in Catra’s face. The irony of Adora having to go through this same thing, three years ago, is not lost on Catra. So she does what Adora did back then- she goes to the park. 

*****

Catra is curled up at the top of the slide, her phone out in front of her in case Adora texts. She’s not hopeful, serves her right to not get a chance to make things right now when she denied Adora the same thing. 

Catra doesn’t hear someone else coming until they’re climbing the last ladder up to the slide. She startles when Adora swings her body onto the small platform, “Hey.”

“Hi,” Adora settles and then sighs, “This is so embarrassing.”

“Adora, I am so sorry,” Catra reaches for her hand on her thigh and Adora doesn’t flinch away, “It was stupid-”

“I know,” Adora sighs again, hiding her face in her other hand, “Glimmer told me everything.”

Catra puzzles at that, “But I didn’t tell her anything. What did she tell you?”

Adora pulls her hand from under Catra’s, tips her head back against the plastic and releases one last long, aggrieved sigh, “This is so embarrassing.”

After a few beats, Catra prompts, “We covered that. What exactly is embarrassing?”

Adora drops her hands but keeps her eye line high, “Instead of my sister having a grown up conversation with my mom about wanting to date her best friend, she decided to meddle in my love life.”

Catra purses her lips, “Glimmer? What did Glimmer do?”

“She and Bow came up with the plan to get us to date, 'two birds, one stone'” Adora uses air quotes, “They figured trying to bribe you was the easiest strategy so they pooled some of their savings from their summer jobs. Glimmer, apparently, was going to feed Bow tips to give you on how to date me. She says she was trying to help me too, by finally getting me to go on a date with someone.”

Catra reaches back out, bumping her fist against Adora’s thigh, “I didn’t take any money from them.”

“I know,” Adora still can’t look at Catra, “she said you’ve hardly responded to Bow since last week and that she had no idea how we actually got together.”

“Adora,” Adora glances at Catra this time, “I only said yes because I wanted to talk to you again. I’ve wanted to for years but- I figured this was as good a reason as any and then if you or your friends made fun of me, I could throw it back at you.”

Adora’s shoulders drop at the admission, “They picked you because they knew I wouldn’t say yes to anyone else.”

Warmth spreads through Catra’s veins, a warmth she misses whenever Adora isn’t there to provide it, “yeah?”

“Yeah.” Adora blushes.

“So- It was definitely a stupid plan on their part, I was stupid for saying yes, and you’re embarrassed- but it worked?” Catra asks, the unfamiliar clench of hope in her voice. 

Adora grins, “That’s the worst part about it. They’re never going to let me live it down.”

Catra laughs, shocked right out of her, and slides the few feet to straddle Adora’s knees. She runs a hand through Adora’s hair, one slung around her back, “Now we’re even- no more running out of each other’s houses, if we have any other issues we have to actually stay and talk about them.”

Adora nods, “Agreed.” Her arms come up to wrap around Catra and Catra settles into her warmth. 

*****

“Should we go over now?” Shadow Weaver asks again. 

“It’s barely 7pm.”

“Doesn’t the dance start at 8pm?”

“Yeah, but no one wants to be the first ones there.” Catra checks her pockets one last time, then relents, “Fine, we can go over. They won’t care.”

“You have your tickets?”

Catra smirks, “Nope, Glimmer has them. Ms. Moon made Glimmer and Bow pay for Adora and mine’s ticket as punishment.”

“If you ask me, she should be rewarding them.”

Catra doesn’t mention that Adora and she bought personalized mugs for Glimmer and Bow as a thank you. They’re stupid, pictures of Bow and Glimmer together on the side, but Catra sees Glimmer drinking out of hers whenever she’s at the Moons. 

They pull up five minutes later at the Moons. There’s a flurry of people in the front yard, Angella, Bow’s Dads and a few of his siblings scurrying about. Catra takes a deep breath and steps out of the car, hiding the little box with the corsage she’d picked out for Adora.

“Catra!” Angella greets her with a hug, “Adora is inside waiting for you. Shadow, how are you?!” Catra escapes to let Shadow Weaver and Angella catch up. She waves to Glimmer and Bow, posing by a tree, before walking through the front door. 

“Adora!” Catra shouts into the house.

“In here,” Adora returns the greeting from the kitchen, “you know you don’t have to scream- oh wow. You look great.”

Catra’s wearing an old suit she bought with no intention of actually needing it. 

“You don’t look awful either,” Catra winks, because Adora is a bombshell in a red dress. It pulls Catra in like a magnet.

“Good to know I’ve met your low standards,” Adora leans down and kisses Catra, mussing her lip gloss. 

“You’re gorgeous, stop fishing for compliments,” Catra stays close to Adora, her hand going to her waistline where the dress is cinched. 

“Wait, I have to get the thing,” Adora wiggles out of Catra’s hold to get Catra’s corsage out of the refrigerator. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to wear the suit or not so I got one with a wristband.”

“Thanks,” Catra takes turns with Adora, sliding the flowers onto each other’s wrists, “It’s pretty.” Adora grins, cheeks blushing, “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothin really, just that it’s kind of ironic,” Adora tugs on Catra’s open blazer, “We stopped being friends because of a gay rumor, now we’re going to a dance together.”

Catra snorts, “Glad somethings change.”

Adora smirks, “But it’s also good that somethings don’t.”

Catra nods, grabbing Adora’s hand and leading her toward the door, “Come on, we better go take pictures before Glimmer steals the keys to your jeep and drives herself to the dance.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
